Life from the Ashes
by history101
Summary: Set after series 3. As 'ferryman' to the souls of dead coppers, Gene Hunt continues to shout, shoot and stomp his way around C.I.D with a new D.I who misses his IPhone and just refuses to listen to him. Meanwhile, the old 'A team' choose disobey orders and leave the safety of 'heaven'; is this a recipe for disaster? I don't own rights to AtA.
1. Gene Hunt

A.N. I've been a long time Ashes to Ashes fan but I've never written for it before, I just didn't want to ruin one of my fave shows with any awful writing. But I'm going through another A-t-A phase and I just couldn't help but start on this. I hope I'll finish it.

So let me know what you think! Oh, and of course, I should tell you, in case you didn't already know; I DON'T OWN ASHES TO ASHES!

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**Life from the Ashes**

**Chapter 1: Gene Hunt**

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It was a dark, stary night on a Saturday in late 1983 and Gene Hunt was sat in his darkened corner of his favourite basement boozer in all of London. Despite being so eager for the joys of Italy, Luigi had quickly returned to reopen his restaurant, now with the company of his wife, daughter, son in law and young grandson in tow, all of whom now resided above the basement cafe. It had taken the tough Marietta, the wife of Luigi, many weeks to get used to Gene's brash and crude speech patterns, and the drunken gatherings of the police force that frequented their trattoria.

Gene had silently thanked his lucky stars when the restaurant had reopened, he really didn't want to replace his boozer as well as his car and his D.I. But his new sidekick was a soft pile of southern shit by the name of Robson; he kept on and on about his 'Iphone' and his office and his computer and his car and his tv...he just never shut up.

Why was it always the coma victims that gave him a hard time? First Sam, then Drake, now Robson...and to complete the pattern...the man was, of course, a psychologist! But after months of hard graft Gene believed that the man was starting to show the promise of being a real D.I rather than a pencil pushing, desk jockey.

"Guv...guv, it's Robs' round, you want a beer?" Terry shouted and Gene simply nodded.

"Yeah, yeah..." he nodded, "An' where's me food, Luigi?" he shouted, coming clear of his thoughts. Though he vowed never to forget about the truth again it didn't help to dwell on it for long; he'd just get depressed, but he needed to remember...to do his job properly he needed to remember.

"Still can't believe he come back, guv," Bammo said, "Not complain though," he added and there was a murder of agreement from the others.

"Couldn't get enough of us, could yer, Luigi?" Gene mocked as the Italian set down a full glass of beer for him.

"Si, signore Hunt, of course," replied the long suffering Italian.

"Signore, why must you always torment my father with your English humour?" Adelina, Luigi's daughter asked with a sigh as she put down a plate of food for the D.C.I.

"In the 'ope he migh' learn some'ing," Gene replied with a scowl.

"Well if it hasn't happen now it is unlikely ever to do so," she shot back.

"Hope and pray, Ady, 'ope and pray," he said and she walked away, flinging her hands in the air and rolling her eyes.

Knowing that all these people, with all of their quirks and mannerisms were dead made the world seem a little less real...but no less believable; you could still love here, you could still be hurt, you could still win and lose. But in the end everyone had to move on...He was only here to help the coppers though. Why Luigi came back was beyond him, and Gene doubted he'd ever know. Sometimes things just happened here; that's the way it'd always been and always would be.

"'Ere, guv, guv! Rob reckons he can drink a pint faster than Bammo!" one of the men shouted.

"Well, give the winner a bottle o' B relief," he shouted back still picking at his food.

"Right y'are guv!" they laughed and Gene fell silent again. Ignoring his still, un-eaten food he went to stand outside then lit a cigarette. In the past month he'd lost another of his team, a young P.C by the name of Elizabeth Porter, who'd strangely reminded him of himself, she'd been one of the quickest he'd ever seen to move on. But she'd been brave and strong and a bloody good copper; he'd been sorry to see the kid go. She'd thanked him with a hug and a peck on the cheek, then gone off like all the others.

From outside he could still hear the cheering and laughing of his men, he peeked around the corner and saw the young Eugenio, Luigi's grandson, now sat with the C.I.D company as they played card games and showed the boy tricks.

"Eugenio!" the boy's mother called, "Go to bed! It's late."

"But..." Gene heard the boy protest but he walked away from the trattoria before he could hear anymore. He stalked off to his shining Mercedes and drove through the quiet streets of London.

At least in his beloved C.I.D he didn't have Keats breathing down his neck anymore...at least not yet. The 'man' had vanished and Gene hadn't seen him since...since...

Well...a lot had certainly changed that day. He'd regained his memories about his own death and about this world, seen his car killed, he'd had a kiss from Bolly, lost his 'A Team' and apparently got rid of Keats all in one day. Far too much serious shit for one day. He liked to think he was strong enough now to keep Keats and his like far, far, far away from C.I.D and the people he protected. Which was why he couldn't ever forget again. When he did it gave Keats a chance to take everything and everyone away from him. That bastard had even driven his car! Bastard!

With a deep sigh, Gene pulled up his car outside the police station and marched right up to the dark, silent and vacant room and into his office. With only his desk lamp illuminating the room he saw his reflection in the computer screen and saw his younger self staring back at him, all glassy eyes, skinny cheek bones and bloodied face.

"Piss off," he muttered and poured himself more whiskey. He continued to drink alone at his desk, flicking through files of recent cases and soon, he found himself opening the locked drawer of his desk and took out his old tin box. Inside, along with his old badge which remained burried in the box, he'd placed the I.D badges of Ray, Chris, Shaz, and Bolly - his 'A Team'.

He laid the four of them out on the surface of his desk and stared nostalgically at their printed faces. It may have been an emotional, soft touchy thing to to, but it helped him remember everything. This place made you forget after a while, and he couldn't afford to do that again, no matter how hard things got. He couldn't ever give Keats the upper hand again. It would end up with some poor copper paying the price in hell if he did.

Gene hardly noticed when morning rolled around and C.I.D became a bustling hive of activity. When he heard a knock at his door he stuffed the I.D's back into the box and into the drawer before ordering his D.I in. "What?!" he demanded.

"Report of shots fired at the bank on Lower Haverstock road, guv...there's hostages," D.I Rob Robson reported.

"Show time," Gene muttered and finished his drink, before donning his black coat and storming from the room, his D.I close behind.


	2. Alex Drake

A.N. Well,thank you for reading, and here's the next chapter. I hope to have more action in the next one, while these first two are meant to establish the start of the story. Okay? Good. And BTW, I still don't won Ashes to Ashes...I am working on it though :)

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**Life from the Ashes**

**Chapter 2: Alex Drake**

* * *

Alex Drake had no idea what time it was or what year it was; all her watch ever said was '9:06' and she didn't know how time passed here anyway. How exactly did time pass in a linear pattern when you were in...well..was this heaven?

It had felt like months ago when she'd seen a new face come through the door with a contented smile. This young woman, Shaz had told her was called Elizabeth Porter and had been working with Gene in C.I.D. Apparently there was no Jim Keats plaguing the office any longer, and Gene had a shiny new car which was, once more, the envy of the Met.

One day, or evening...or night...Alex was sat alone at the bar with a, now, half empty bottle of red wine while Nelson was silently cleaning the bottles behind the bar.

"I have to get back through that door...I know I do..." Alex sighed to herself.

"But you fought so hard to get here," Nelson replied, examining one of his bottles with great interest.

"No...no, I fought to get to my daughter...but I..."

"Ah, she'll be as strong as her mother."

"Yes, yes, she is...Nelson...you have to help me, I need to find a way out...But there is no way out," Alex said uncertain, "Is there?"

"Well in a sense..." he began, looking around conspiratorially and then leaning forwards. "One person did find it...only one, and only then because he was the only one looking for it," Nelson replied as then started to wipe down the bar, as though the conversation no longer held any importance for him.

"Where is it?" she demanded, suddenly regaining her energy.

"Oh, I don't know, I have no reason to look for it," Nelson answered her.

"...How...who found it?" Alex asked, feeling she already knew the answer.

"Don't think I have to tell you, do I?" he smiled for a second.

"...How do I find it? I need to know...please..."

"I am sorry, my friend...I don't know," he admitted and left her alone at the bar, alone with her thoughts.

If she was right...if Nelson had implied that Gene had been the only one to leave the 'Railway Arms' then surely she could find a way out as well. He'd had some reason to leave to a place where he had nothing, and since she had someone there to go back to, it should be easy for her to find it...if all when and to do was look...right?

At the time - however long ago it had been - something in her had been adamant that walking through into the light had been the right thing to do; but it wasn't long before she found herself having second thoughts.

The first time she wanted to leave and go back to Fenchurch she tried the door in front of all the other people sitting in the pub, but the door wouldn't open. She'd stood there and pulled on the door handle again and again until Shaz had come over to her and lead her back, deep into the 'pub' to a darkened room they had sat for hours.

The second time she'd tried a window, Alex had tossed one of the hard backed books that was in her 'room' straight through a window. Then she'd tried to climb out of it only to be greeted by another window. Then she'd searched high and low for a back door or some other way out, but found nothing.

"Alright there, ma'am?" she suddenly heard Chris ask with a smile as he stood beside her.

"Yeah, yes I'm fine, Chris," Alex told him.

"Only...Shaz...err...she...Shaz says yer look sad..."

"Oh," she blinked, nodding slightly.

"...Yer not happy...are yer?" he asked her.

"...Not exactly Chris, no."

"Why?"

"I...it's difficult to explain."

"I get it," he nodded, and catching her look of disbelief he continued, "No, I do, really...everyone in here's so happy, like, but it's...nothing 'appens, y'know...it's not the same."

"No, it isn't, is it?" Alex smiled, pleased that Chris was showing the perceptiveness that he usually hid.

"...You...wanna leave...don't yer?" he asked slowly.

"Yes, I do... but I don't know how..."

"Well...then, we'll 'elp you, ma'am," Shaz came to stand beside Chris. "Ain't right...you bein' unhappy."

"...Thanks, Shaz," she smiled, genuinely for the first time in quite a while. "If Gene found a way out there's no reason we can't."

"Y'know he'd bloody kill us if we let owt 'appen to yer," Ray told her with confidence, noting the irony of his statement straight away.

"You do realise he's a bit late for that, don't ya?" Shaz muttered.

"'S the thought that counts," he shrugged, "...an' I wouldn't put it past the guv..."

"Yeah...'s a good point, mate," Chris shuddered.

"So...if you were Gene, and you were looking for a way out of a pub...where would you look?" Alex asked them cheerily.

"Err...erm...err..." Chris thought, "...Err...I dunno..."

"Twonk," Ray muttered. "There used ter be a back door, righ' over there..." he added.

"I've looked everywhere, there isn't one," Alex sighed.

"Oh," Ray nodded glumly.

"I can't get out through the windows and the front door obviously isn't an option either," she added.

"So 'ow'd the guv do it if there's no way out?" Shaz asked.

"'Cos he's the guv, that's 'ow," Ray nodded, as though that explained everything.

"That doesn't really help, Ray," Alex told him.

"Righ'," he muttered. "Well...I guess..."

"What?"

"...Well...nah...I dunno...I'm not the guv," he shrugged eventually.

"Could try the door again, boss...err...ma'am..." Chris suggested innocently, and Ray shook his head in disbelief at his friend.

"Go on then, baby," Shaz encouraged him and gently nudged him towards the door. After a moment he walked up to the door with an almost reverent slowness, and tried the handle, but the door was bolted fast.

"Give over, yer div," Ray scoffed and pushed his weight against it, again and again, and again.

"Oi, don't you break my door!" Nelson shouted.

"Don't wanna break it, mate, we wanna open it," Chris told him.

"Well it ain't gonna work, that door's one way, I knows it, and he knows it too," the bartender replied.

"Anymore brigh' ideas, wonder Chris?" Ray asked his friend.

"Err...no...no, not really," he shrugged sadly. "We could all try at the same time..."

"Oh, you..." Ray sighed and shook his head.

"Wha'? It's worth a try, isn't it?" Shaz snapped and started to drag Ray back over to the door. Alex took slow steps over to them as the three of them pushed at the door with their shoulders.

"'S no good, that things not gonna budge," Ray said after a minute.

"...If...if we do find a way out...are you going to use it? " Alex asked them.

"'Course we are ma'am," Shaz said, as though Alex had asked a ridiculous question.

"I thought you were happy here."

"We are...but it's not the same..feels like we left the guv all on his own," the young D.C replied and the two men nodded in silent agreement.

"Let's get this door open, and stop mopin'," Ray ordered.

"Thought you said it weren't gonna budge," Chris frowned.

"Give over, if the guv wanted out he'd just kick the bloody door down and walk right out, wouldn't he," he replied confidently as he continued to push against the door.

"Ray...try it...kick the door down," Alex muttered.

"Wha'?"

"Just do it."

"Alrigh', alrigh'," he muttered and did so. The first time the door didn't even budge, the second time they heard it start to give way.

"Oi! What did I tell ya? Don't break me door!" Nelson shouted again.

"I'm not try'na break it," Ray shouted as he kicked the door a third time and strangely it seemed to shudder...Ray stepped back. Alexwalked up to it and cautiously took the handle and pushed.

"I don't believe it...it bloody worked..." Chris muttered.

"'Course it did! I don't want you to break me door! Now get out!" Nelson shouted at them with a small smile.

"But how..." Alex started to ask.

"No, no more questions...just go," the bar tender ordered.

"Hey, Chris, when you see the guv...tell him I said 'hi'!" Sam shouted from the bar and Chris nodded.

"Don't you wanna come too?" he asked his friend.

"Can't...I just know..."

"Err...right boss..." he shrugged hopelessly as the four of them, just walked right out of the pub.


	3. The 'A Team'

A.N. Well, my friends I have nothing to say except that I don't own Ashes to Ashes...now I leave you to the next chapter.

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**Life from the Ashes**

**Chapter 3: The 'A Team'**

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The next thing any of them knew, they were walking down a familiar and busy London street in the morning, wearing the same clothes they'd worn before they'd walked into the pub that night. The police station was right in front of them with squad cars parked outside with unformed officers and armed response mobilising. There was even a tv reporters van down the street with a man and a woman preparing for filming. This must be something serious.

"What's 'appenin'?" Shaz asked.

"Excuse me," Alex called as they jogged to the nearest uniformed officer whom she vaguely recognised. "What's going on?"

"Ma'am...what're you doing here? We thought you'd all transferred..." P.C Marcus Ryan told her.

"We did...now what's going on?"

"Oh, right...well...couple of armed bastards holding hostages in the bank on Haverstock road, the guv's already..." before the young woman could finish Drake and the others had run across the street where they relived another P.C of their car and took off in the direction of the bank.

"Just like the good old days," Ray smiled and Chris nodded.

"I don't know 'ow, ma'am, but I've got me badge back," Shaz said as she took out her police badge from her pocket. "...D.C Granger..." she read aloud with a smile.

"Me too," Chris said, staring at his own I.D as Ray did the same.

"Are we armed?" Alex asked them as she turned the steering wheel with a force and speed that would make Gene proud.

"I'm sure P.C whatever his name was'll 'elp us out..." Ray smirked as he routed round the car in search of weapons. Sure enough he pulled out several guns from the glove compartment and they were all armed. Shaz found a radio and soon they heard the voice of a well educated man talking to all available officers.

"This is D.I Robson with D.C.I Hunt on route to the bank on the Lower Haverstock road, the..." the man said before a gruff, northern voice shouted over him.

"Oh, how many times, yer bloody great poof?! They don't need a ruddy voice over!" they heard Gene shout followed by a screech of tyres and they couldn't help but smile. Shaz went to speak but a look from Alex told her to keep quiet and listen.

"Sorry guv, but it's..." the man began with a touch of exasperation.

"Don't you dare say that bloody word, yer dozy poof, or I'll have yer back in uniform faster 'en yer can say..."

"Alright guv...I get it...no saying...that word...but the radio is still on you know, and this is hardly the best time for..."

"Oh, give over, yer worse than..."

"Guv?"

"Never mind," he muttered, "Now, where's my bloody back up yer tossers?" he shouted.

"Guv," young P.C Ryan reported timidly, "D.I Drake's on route to the bank."

"...Don't talk shit with me Ryan!" the guv snapped.

"I'm not, guv, I swear, I saw her and D.I Carling, D.C Skelton and P.C Granger take Kev's squad car a minute ago."

"You're serious, kid?"

"I swear, sir!"

"They can't be! If you're shitting me, I'll..."

"Guv, I wouldn't, I'm tellin' the truth, I swear, sir, honest," he stuttered, for fear of further enraging the Manc lion.

"Guv...look!" Robson shouted and they all heard the screeching sound of a car coming to a rapid stop.

"Right...you go round the back...get them 'ostages out the way," Gene ordered.

"I'm not sure..." D.I Robson tried.

"Just go! And no heroics like last time, or someone'll end up six feet under!"

"Fine," Robson sighed and they could hear him leaving the car.

"P.C Ryan, where's the plods at?" the guv asked.

"They should be there soon, guv I really don't think..."

"Good, let's keep it that way, shall we?" Gene replied briskly and also left the car. Then they heard nothing.

"Guv! Guv?!" Alex shouted into the radio but they got no answer. "P.C Ryan, come in," she said.

"P.C Ryan here, what's happened with the guv?"

"I don't know, we're almost at the bank...I..." Alex said quickly.

"I need backup...who's there? P.C Ryan...D.I...Drake...you really there?" the quiet voice of D.I Robson asked.

"Yes?" she asked as she brought the car to a stop behind a wall just before the bank so they were hidden.

"This is D.I Robson, where are you?"

"At the bank, out front," she answered.

"I've lost sight of the guv..."

"Oh boy," Ray sighed.

"What'd we do? " Chris asked as he eyed the bank.

"How many hostages?" Alex asked.

"About 20 I can see, one wounded, not critical, there's 3 men armed with shotguns and grenades I think, I'm round the back, they haven't seen me yet. There's no way I can get the hostages free without a distraction, they're tied up in the main room with the blaggers...I...oh shit..."

"What? What?!"

"It's the guv...looks like he's decided to play red herring," the man muttered ruefully. "He's gonna get himself killed!"

"Come on," Alex said and with four of them started creeping towards the bank.

"What's the plan, ma'am?" Shaz asked.

"Well..."

"'Ow 'bout...don't get shot?" Ray muttered.

"I think it needs a bit o' work, mate," Chris muttered and Ray shoved his shoulder.

"I'll try and negotiate..." Alex began.

"Yer can't 'negotiate' with shotguns!" Ray scoffed.

"And grenades," Chris added, which no one sought to dignify with an answer. "Don't forget the grenades, boss."

"You cover me," Alex continued, "I'll go in, you stay out of sight," she said. Holding her gun loosely in her hands she walked slowly into the bank. Whilst keeping the blaggers in sight she searched around for the guv, but she couldn't see him. Why had D.I Robson been so worried? If the guv was here he was clearly well hidden. These blaggers didn't seem to have much experience, Alex thought, which was a very lucky thing for them.

"Shit, look," one of the blaggers muttered and they all turned their shotguns in her direction.

"I'm D.I Alex Drake," she said calmly, "I only want to talk, now please, tell me what you want," she lowered her gun.

"Shut it, pig!" one of the men shouted and aimed his gun, a shot rang out, echoing throughout the room. The hostages screamed and Robson, still hidden, crept closer to them, indicating that they should quiet down as he set about freeing them.

The masked man fell down a second later, clutching his leg and cursing in agony as the blood pooled around him. His two masked friends reacted quickly and aimed their weapons at the shooter. Alex and Ray both shot to protect the first shooter and the two men fell instantly before they'd had a chance to fire; they were incapacitated but not dead.

Alex and the others stared out across the room at the first shooter and saw a man standing in the shadows wearing a long coat and a holding smoking gun.

"Well, well, well," the man said, "If it isn't the 'A Team'," he added.

"Guv," Ray muttered as Gene stepped out from the shadows, but before he could say anything else, D.I Robson walked over to his senior officer. He'd freed the last of the hostages who were now being cared for by uniformed officers who'd just arrived on the scene.

"Well, guv...it wasn't exactly procedure...but it did work..." he said with a scowl.

"Of course it worked, you great southern nancy! And didn't I tell you not ter say that bloody word?!"

"Anything could've gone wrong, someone could've been seriously hurt..." he replied, "And if it wasn't for..."

"But they weren't," Gene nodded and holstered his gun.

"Well...no...but..."

"But nothin'...blaggers caught, 'ostages freed, job done...all before dinner too, I think this deserves a celebration, don't you?" he asked with a smile.

"...Yes, guv," Robson replied with a sigh.

"As fer you lot," Gene frowned as he regarded his 'old' team. "I think you better just walk yerselves back ter the boozer like a good team should, while I..."

"I don't think so, guv," Ray said.

"...You don't think so, Raymondo?" Gene mocked.

"No, guv, I don't," Ray nodded.

"Neither do I, guv," Chris agreed.

"Or me," Shaz said.

"Oh, give me strength!" he called and stormed out of the bank.

Gene stalked down the steps to where armed response were gathered and told them with a frown; "You're late," and then made his way to his car. "Robson!" he bellowed, and the young man followed with a world weary sigh.

"Sorry about him," he told the armed response team as he passed; they appeared to be exhibiting both anger and embarrassment which he found rather confusing.

Alex, Ray, Chris and Shaz went back across to the squad car they'd used and followed Gene and Robson back to the station where they were met with cheers from the team.

"Alright! Quiet down!" Gene bellowed as he stood before his office door. "They're not 'ere ter stay!"

"Actually, guv, we are," Alex said as she showed him her I.D badge. He looked at it for a second then stormed into his office, slamming the door behind him. "Come on," she whispered to the others and they walked into the lion's den. "Guv, I..." she began as the door closed behind them.

"D.I Drake, did I say you could speak?"

"I..."

"Did I give you permission to speak?"

"...No...sir," she ground out.

"Right then," he clapped his hands," If you know what's good for yer, you'll do as I say, and walk yerselves right back..."

"We won't be doing that, guv," she replied.

"What?" he bellowed, "'Ave I lost whatever respect you ever 'ad fer me?! This ain't a place fer people who haven't got business here! You haven't! So bugger off!"

When they showed no signs of movement he became increasingly irritated, and when all four of them suddenly looked at each other, crossed their arms then looked back at him, he felt like he was on the verge of snapping. After everything he'd had to go through to keep them safe from Keats and his ilk, they were going to throw it all away being stubborn!

"That wasn't a suggestion you useless tossers! Get yer arses outta my station, now!" Gene pointed violent at the door but still they didn't move, they barely even flinched.

"Guv..." Barlow said, opening the door without knocking.

"What?!"

"It's just...err...we brought the blaggers in...we've 'ad a doc look at him...thought yer might wanna talk to 'em first...y'know...before their solicitors...get 'ere..."

"And before D.I twat-head gets back," one of the other men added quietly from his desk.

"Yeah...and that, guv," Barlow nodded.

"Right," Gene nodded, "Barlow, with me, an' you four useless ingrates," he turned to his 'A Team. "Stay 'ere and don't cause any trouble," he ordered in his most commanding tone, at which they, unfortunately, didn't even bat an eyelid. Instead, they followed him straight away.

"Guv, I really think we..."

"Be quiet, D.I Drake," Gene frowned, "Now, who is he?" he asked Barlow.

"Michael Brown, guv, says he's the mastermind," the man answered.

"Well, criminal masterminds really have gone ter the shit."

"He's got one hell of a record...his old mam reported him missing four days ago," Barlow added.

"And we find him pullin' some shit bank job," the guv said.

"Gene..." Alex tried again, but she was ignored.

"Right, you little shit," the guv began as he opened the door to the interview room, but blinked in confusion and irritation as Alex stormed in with him, clearly intent on joining the interrogation. "Drake!" he barked.

"Yes, guv?" she asked innocently.

"Shit," Ray muttered.

"Wha'?" Chris asked his friend rather obliviously.

"What the hell d'you think yer doin'?"

"Interrogating the 'mastermind'," she answered.

"Oh no, you're not."

"Oh yes, I am!"

"I..."

"Are you gonna interview me, or should I just wait till you've finished your little tiff?" the relatively young Michael Brown asked from his chair.

"You don't get to talk till I ask you a question, dip-shit!" Gene bellowed.

"I got it, guv," Ray smirked and shot over to the young man. He was pale and dishevelled, clearly keeping his nerves in check and trying to act with typical bravado, he sneered at Ray as he neared.

Ray quickly grabbed his arms and shoved his face into the table, "Not another word," the D.I ordered.

Gene sighed and turned to Barlow, "Find out where our resident nutcase had got to," he ordered and the man nodded then left the room. Then, with Chris and Shaz standing at the back, Alex took the seat beside Gene while Ray continued to torment the young man.

"So...why did you try and stick up the bank, yer little prat?" Gene asked.

"Shove off, pig!" Michael scoffed and groaned as Ray pushed his face further into table top. "Alrigh'...needed the money...didn't I?"

"Could've got a job," Gene replied quickly

"With my record," the young man scoffed.

"Should've done something different than being a little shit head shouldn't yer, then," the guv said.

"Huh," Michael sniffed.

"It wasn't a very well thought out plan though, was it, Mr Brown?" Alex asked, sending Gene a look that clearly said 'let me speak'.

"Would've been if you lot hadn't shown up!"

"What'd you expect? You make a fuss on my patch I come after yer!" Gene snapped.

"Well I...

Before Michael could continue the door swung open, revealing a flustered D.I Robson, "What is this? A mothers meeting? why is there so many people in the interview room? And why aren't you recording it?" he exclaimed in horror.

"Machine's broken, now bugger off," the guv said simply.

"You can't just..."

"I'm the king of this jungle, and no one tells me what I can and can't do!" Gene shouted and leapt from his chair, making Chris, Shaz, and the young man jump. He then pushed the D.I back a step.

"Guv...there's procedure..." Robson began, but stopped as Gene pushed him from the room.

"Now you listen to me you useless, desk bound, pencil necked, piece of shit," as his team followed him, closing the door on the young blagger. "You don't ever walk into an interrogation and double cross my authority in front of tossers like him!"

"I..."

"Now, where the bloody hell were you?"

"I was intervening the other two suspects while the doctor was..."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"I am a D.I. I'm fully capable of..."

"I don't care how they ran things wherever you came from, but 'ere we do things how I say we so, and when there's blaggers ter question you bloody well tell me!"

"I figured that you were otherwise occupied, guv," Robson replied tersely as he shot a pointed glance at the four people leaning against the wall and scowling at him.

"I thought we'd sorted all this, Robson," Gene said, "You do wha' I say, otherwise things go tits up! Or had you forgot that last balls up you had when you went solo?"

"...No."

"No what?"

"No...guv," Robson corrected, looking thoroughly downtrodden.

"'No, guv'," Gene repeated with a nod. "We might just be gettin' somewhere, Robson."

"...There's only one place I wanna go," the man muttered and Alex stepped forwards, but Gene glared at her.

"Yes, interview room, now mush!" the guv said sternly and ushered Robson into the room. "You lot...stay 'ere," he said to the others.

"Guv..."

"You want somethin' to do...go catch up...I'll deal with you later," Gene muttered and slammed the door of the interview room closed when Alex tried to follow him in.

"Well...that went well..." Shaz smiled sarcastically.


	4. Rules and Regulations

**Life from the Ashes**

**Chapter 4: Rules and Regulations**

* * *

Alex was stood in the centre of C.I.D as people sat around the room, making phone calls, reading magazines, drinking tea, smoking and routing through files with half hearted efforts. She had never been happier to see the predictable chaos of this room, with it's permanent, thick smog, the cluttered desks and checkered ceiling, the white boards and cabinets...nothing had changed...except her desk, which it seemed, now belonged to D.I Robson, as the name plate read.

Ray and Chris were sat down with their feet propped up on their desks, adding to the thick smog with their own cigarettes as the people around them talked over their work.

"So what's the deal with that Robson bloke?" Ray asked Bammo.

"He come down here a while back...started pickin' fights with the guv. Worse one was a few weeks ago...he and the guv 'ad ter chase these drugs dealers. They were using kids ter distribute the drugs but the dealers turned on 'em and used 'em as hostages," he said.

"One of 'em ended up dead 'cos Robson didn't listen ter the guv; thought he knew better, didn't he?" another detective finished.

"Git," Ray muttered and the others nodded.

"Should've seen the guv when he got back 'ere...never remember seein' him so pissed off. Robson probably shit his-self," Terry added and the room was suddenly filled with quiet chuckling, and no one said anything else.

Feeling that some work needed to be done, and needing something to keep her mind working, Alex asked; "So...tell me..what'd we know about this Michael Brown?" she spread her hands in a manner which the C.I.D detectives were well accustomed to.

"Well...says here, he's a small time thief," one of them men said, "Nothing special."

"He's an idiot," Ray added.

"Care to elaborate on that?" Alex asked.

"You don't do a blag in a bank with a big glass front. It were like he wasn't even tryin'!"

"Good," she nodded, "And..." she was about to speak further, but the sound of approaching footsteps and the violent 'crash' of the doors being flung open, silenced her as they all stared at the doors.

"I think there's more to this than meets the eye, guv," Robson said as he and the guv walked into the office.

"Just 'cos he's the worst blagger this side of the Berlin Wall, doesn't mean there's a conspiracy theory..."

"I didn't say 'conspiracy'...but the fact that you did, means that you don't believe his story anymore than I do."

"Well then, Sherlock," Gene said as he sat down at one of the desks, clearly making himself comfortable. "Astound us with your wisdom."

"Erm...well..."

"Good start," the guv muttered.

"...They might be being used as someone's catspaw..."

"Catspaw?" Gene scoffed.

"Yes. You saw him, does he strike you as a criminal mastermind? He's a small time crook, he doesn't do big bank jobs..."

"It were 'ardly big."

"It was trying to be. Like he was trying to do a big blag but he didn't know how...or as if he didn't want it to succeed from the start. There's more to this than a small time crook doing..."

"He's guilty and he's an idiot, what more do you want?! "

"It's just...it's too neat...it's too easy!"

"I like easy."

"It's too simple!" Robson continued.

"You just wanna make my life more difficult, admit it," Gene sighed.

"Guv..."

"But...I do 'appen to agree with you...I can't believe I just said that," Gene growled, "...Coppers nous, Robson...don't need a fancy psychiatry degree like you or Lady Bolls 'ere ter tell me that little shit's hiddin' somethin'."

"It's...but why didn't you say so from the start..." he asked, looking slightly confused at the nickname for Alex which everyone else was used to.

"Because I wanna make your life difficult," he answered with a smirk and there was the quiet sound of repressed laughs in the room. "Right, I want you lot to tell me if these criminal idiots got into something they shouldn't and if someone's pullin' their strings, or if they really are just thick. Well...move!"

"Yes, guv," they nodded and shot in all directions.

"Guv, I..." Robson began as he walked towards Gene.

"Not now, I have something else to deal with," Gene told the D.I and scowled at his 'A Team'. "You mind the store."

"...Right..." Robson nodded and went to sit at his desk.

"You lot, mush," Gene ordered the four of them out of the office after puttin on his black coat, and led them out into the street. "Get in," he snapped and got into his Mercedes.

"Nice one, guv," Ray chortled, as he eyed the new car. It clearly met with his approval.

Gene drove them through the streets in silence, every time someone tried to say something he snapped until they were quiet. It was beginning to get on Alex's nerves. When he finally stopped the car a while later it was at the start of an empty street which seemed a lot darker than the streets they'd been driving through in seconds ago.

"Out," he ordered and slammed the car door closed as he stood on the street. He stormed off down the street with the four of them in tow and stopped once they could see the 'Railway Arms' pub directly ahead of them. "Well, go on then, off you pop," he said to them.

"Wha'?" Ray scoffed.

"Lovely catch up, Raymondo, but some of us have work to do, now..."

"You can't make us go in there, guv," Chris said bravely.

"Oh, really?" Gene asked sarcastically.

"No, you're right, Chris," Alex nodded.

"Is he now, mrs woman?" Gene asked, with even more bitter sarcasm.

"Yeah, he is...sir," Shaz added.

"D'you know, this is doin' wonders for my ego," Gene said, raising his head to the sky, as though talking to the heavens themselves. He sighed then moved so that he was standing across from them and pulled out his gun then pointed it at them; if this was what it took to keep them safe from Keats then he'd do it. "I'm not tellin' you lot again! Get in!" he snapped and cocked his gun, pointing it momentarily at the 'pub'.

"You going to shoot us, guv?" Shaz asked quietly.

"I didn't send you in there, just so's you could come swannin' back out again whenever you bloody well felt like it!"

"And what will pulling a gun on us do?" Alex demanded, not a bit threatened.

"Send yer back in there!"

"And is it working?" she asked but Gene didn't answer.

"It'll kick in any second now, luv."

"I..."

"You can't just come back 'ere when you want to," he told them. "You've done wha' you're supposed to, now bugger off! Them's the rules, Drakey."

"You're 'ere..." Chris said, confused.

"I have a job..."

"You forgot what it was," Alex replied and felt guilty as she saw the hurt look on his face, "I'm sorry, but you did, you forgot, and that almost meant that Shaz, and Chris and Ray..."

"Don't you think I don't know that!" Gene snapped, finally lowering his gun. "Don't you think that didn't scare the shit outta me?! Because I forgot, they...they got Viv...they got Viv because I..."

"What happens...y'know...when they..." Chris asked, thinking about the horrible dream he'd had about Viv and fire.

"...You don't wanna know, Christopher, trust me," Gene replied slowly. "'People' like Keats don't care about 'elpin' yer. They just want to destroy everything and everyone..."

"Keats...Keats was like old Morgan, wasn't he? They both wanted ter bring you down, guv...wha' are they, guv?" Ray asked. "Why did they want ter destroy yer so much?"

"Stop askin' so many bastard questions!" Gene shouted and held a hand to his face. The left side, Alex noted.

"Gene..." Alex whispered and took slow steps over to him, but stopped when he looked up at her with an almost feral look of a cornered wild cat in his eyes.

"Yer see! This is why yer supposed to forget 'ere - 'cos if you don't it'll drive you mad!"

"But Sam...Sam and I remembered things...we knew this place was..." she said, taking another step closer.

"That's the problem with you coma people," Gene said, pointing at her half heatedly with his gun, "Always wantin' ter go back. Always wantin' all the soddin' answers. Yer don't fer one second think yer 'ere for somethin' other than ter drive me round the bend!"

"It's not intentional," she smiled slightly.

"Oh, trust me, Bolls, that's all that keeps me goin' sometimes," he chuckled.

"Then why stay?"

"...Why do you think?! If I don't then they win...then Keats and his shit'll be able ter do whatever the bloody hell they want!" he shouted and waved his gun around. Alex took a few more steps closer to him and soon she was standing right in front of him. She worked on gently prying the gun from his hand with a kind look on her face and sympathy in her eyes and he slowly relinquished his hold on the weapon.

"Why you?" she asked, expecting an answer filled with bravado, but a second later she was no unpleasantly surprised at his sincere answer.

"...Why not?" he said, keeping eye contact with her.

"Damn you," she took a deep breath, and shook her head with a smile.

"Why? What've I done this time?" he asked with exasperation.

"Been a good person...doing the right thing," she answered.

"Oh...and that's...bad?" he raised his eyebrows.

"No, no it isn't."

"...Don't go tellin' everyone though, eh, Bolly, they'll be thinkin' I've gone soft," Gene said quietly.

"And we can't have that, can we?" she mocked.

"No, we can't," he nodded, and finally broke their eye contact. "Now are you gonna do the right thing, and do wha' I tell yer to do?"

"No," she answered and he growled in anger. Then he snatched his gun back and pocketed it, and stormed away from them down the street. "What?"

"I'm hungry..." he frowned and continued walking.

"Where are you going?" Alex called after him in exasperation.

"Chippy van," Gene shouted.

"What van?" she asked, looking around and not seeing any fish and chips van in the dimly lit street. Then, a second later, a large van pulled round the far corner of the street to where Gene was walking and stopped right in front of him and he pointed at it. It was rather dirty and dated, and had obviously seen better days, but the sign clearly read 'Traditional Fish and Chips'.

"That van!" Gene replied simply and Ray chuckled as both he and Chris jogged down to him, grinning all the way as they raced.

"He really is a kid, isn't he, ma'am?" Shaz sighed, suddenly remembering the young man she had seen for a fraction of a second in C.I.D when Keats had kicked the guv to the ground.

"Evidently, Shaz," Alex nodded as they walked slowly over to the van. "But what does that make them?" she asked with a smile, indicating Ray and Chris.

"But...what is he...the guv, I mean...is he...I dunno...dead?" the younger woman asked quietly.

"Oh, yes, he's very much dead," she nodded sadly.

"'Ow'd you know for sure? I mean..I know I'm...but 'ow'd you know he's..."

"I...I know, Shaz...I know...because I saw him...in the ground...he was there...that's when he remembered..."

"What'd you mean...you saw him in the ground?" Shaz furrowed her brow, but Alex looked up to see that they were too close to the man on question for her to answer, so she said nothing. Hopefully, Gene would explain everything to his team in due time.

While Alex was contemplating this worlds' deeper mysteries Gene was walking back over to his car and sat in the drivers seat with his feet on the ground leaning out of the vehicle as he ate his chips from the paper wrapping. "Don't you dare get shit in my car!" he warned Ray and Chris who were leaning out if the car the same as Gene.

Alex and Shaz had chosen to share a portion of chips and stood by the car, they looked back for the van but it had vanished...they hadn't even heard an engine.

"Gene...that van..." Alex frowned.

"Wha' about it?" he snapped.

"It's gone, guv," Shaz answered.

"Well he's not gonna wait around all day like one of his chips, is he?" he scoffed and Ray chuckled.

"So...this place..." Alex asked after a minute.

"What about it?" Gene sighed; he knew once she got it into her head to get answers she was gonna get them, come hell or high water, even if it meant dropping him in the funny farm.

"Keats said you made it? But he lied, didn't he? You didn't make it, did you?" she asked.

"If I said I did, would you call me god?" Gene asked with a smirk as he chewed a chip.

"No," she chuckled.

"No, I thought not," he sighed. "No, Bolls, I did make it...if I did, d'you really think it'd be this shit?"

"It's not all bad," she said.

"It is when you've been 'ere this long," he replied. "And when bastards like Keats just won't go away...taking good people with 'em."

"Is he gone fer good? I mean, we didn't see Morgan again, did we?" Chris asked.

"Dunno. Morgan failed, I guess his 'bosses' weren't 'appy with him. Keats didn't fail...not completely...he came closer than Morgan did; he didn't even get Sam in the end. But Keats got Viv, he got Viv 'cos I wasn't there to 'elp him," Gene answered.

"Who's Morgan?" Shaz asked.

"D.C.I Frank Morgan, right?" Alex said. "Sam mentioned him in his notes," she added.

"Yeah, D.C.I bastard Morgan down in Manchester," Ray scoffed, "Bastard nearly got us all shot full of lead ter bring the guv down."

"Boss came through in the end though," Chris nodded.

"Never saw Morgan again...least I never did," Ray finished.

"Neither did I, mate," Chris told him.

"Good riddance to bad bastards," Gene muttered.

"Amen, guv," Ray nodded.

"He nearly got Sam, y'know...they get in yer head and once they're in yer can't get rid of 'em. You know that, don't yer, Bolls?"

"Sam, you know, Sam called you a tumour, a tumour in his mind. He thought that if he got rid of you he'd wake up," Alex said.

"Daft git," Gene scoffed fondly.

"But he chose to come back..."

"Yeah, and then he had ter go again," he frowned, "But that's 'ow it is, he couldn't stay anymore. You and Sam...and even Robson...you think I can just snap me fingers and send you off to wherever you want! It doesn't work that way, Alex! Yer waste too much time fightin' me and too much time trusting bastards like Morgan and Keats."

"I know, I know...if I could go back...but we don't know that when we come here. You can't blame us for trying to get home," she replied.

"No...guess not," he muttered. "Now...you've got yer answers, and I've broken a hell of a lot of rules ter give 'em to yer. Will you please just bugger off now?"

"No way, guv," Ray answered quickly.

"Oh, for the love of..." Gene sighed as he scrunched up the now empty chip paper in his hands with violent anger. "And what d'you think you're gonna do 'ere? Hang around like Scooby Doo?"

"Fab...always fancied me self as a pesky kid, guv," Shaz grinned.

"Argh...right...you know what? You're demoted...in fact, you're all demoted...back down ter uniform! Let's see how long you wanna stay 'ere when you're shovelling shit and handling ruddy bastard domestics with plods!"

"Regulations state you need to have a damn good reason for demoting us down to uniform, guv. Especially when two of us are D.I's," Alex countered.

"What bloody regulations?! I make the rules 'ere!"

"Not these ones you don't," she said confidently when he jumped from his seat, trying to stare her down. When it became clear that it wasn't going to have any effect, het urged away and leaned heavily against the roof of the car with his head resting on his hands, and after a minute he turned back to her.

"Be breakin' a lot of rules, Bolls, if I don't send you lot on yer way," he mulled and suddenly smirked

"Since when do you give a toss about rules, guv?" Ray asked with a smile.

"Good bloody question," Gene exclaimed, then got back in the car and started the engine, "Well, what're you waitin' for, yer bunch of poofs?! Let's break some rules."

* * *

A.N. In case anyone reading this, for some reason doesn't know who he is 'cos you haven't watched Life on Mars I suggest you do so! It's D.C.I / Surgeon Frank Morgan, he was in the last few episodes of the second series.

And by the way, I still have no legal claim to the series!


	5. Understanding

**Life from the Ashes**

**Chapter 5: Understanding **

* * *

"Right, you lot better have something for me," Gene growled as he stormed into C.I.D, his famous 'A Team' right behind him.

"Well, it seems was up to his eyes in debt, his mother reported several robberies last month and she accused her son every time," Robson said.

"Was he charged?" Alex asked.

"No evidence. He came up with watertight alibis for all of them," he read from the case file. "But...it was the same alibi each time...said he was at the 'Underground', witness confirmed it."

"He was catchin' a train?" Gene scoffed.

"Err...no, guv...it's a club, he used to work there, and he must've spent most of his pay checks there as well, by the sounds of things," Robson corrected.

"A club," Gene repeated, "Well I think we should see just how 'watertight' his alibis really were, then eh?"

"Do we really..."

"Yes, we do," Gene nodded, "Drake, Robson, with me. Ray, watch the kiddies."

"Right y'are, guv," Ray sighed, slightly depressed at not going to this club.

Gene, Alex, and Robert soon learned that 'The Underground' was a dingy sort of place in the East End with grotty windows and rotting bricks. Inside it was dimly lit with flickering lights, illuminating the dark drapes and grimy tables in the circular main room. In short, the place was a mess. There were bottles and cans littered all over the place and more than a few traces of fights.

"Hello?" Alex called as they walked further in.

"Wha'?" a male voice called back a second later, "I told you I...oh...well you're not me clean up blokes...are ya? I ain't never seen a clean up crew bring a sexy lady dressed like that before," a man said as he walked into the room. He looked to be about late 30's and was dressed in denim jeans and a dusty black shirt. He also looked to be in full clean up mode. "Can I help you, miss?" he asked rather politely, seeming to ignore Gene and Robson.

"Is this your club?" Alex asked him.

"Yeah...s' my club. Name's Johnny Hatton, what's yours?"

"I'm D.I Alex Drake, this is D.C.I Hunt and D.I Robson, we need to ask you some questions about Michael Brown."

"Oh, Michael...yeah...he worked here fer a bit, then I had ter fire him," the man replied as he walked around picking things up and dropping them into a black bag. Clearly there had been one hell of a party here last night.

"Why?"

"Got sticky fingers, didn't he, the little git, started sneakin' cash when he thought I weren't lookin'," he answered. "I figured I let him off the first time, him bein' a mate an' all. See, he'd been bitchin' about some debt or other, but I couldn't let him get away with it a second time, mate or no mate, 'cos I got a business ter run at the end o' the day."

"When did you sack him?" Gene demanded.

"Err...'bout a month ago, I think. Why?"

"Never you mind," the guv told him.

"Is he in trouble?"

"You could say that," Gene frowned.

"What'd he do?"

"He tried to rob a bank, he held people hostage and almost managed to shoot police officers," Robson replied.

"Twat," Johnny scoffed, "He couldn't even filch a fiver from my till without me seein' him from 'undred yard away."

"His mother claimed that he stole from her. Do you think he did?" Alex asked.

"Wouldn't put it past the bugger ter try."

"How many times does he come here?"

"At least three or four times a week, I couldn't give yer dates or times, I'm a busy man, and lots of people come in and out before I got a chance ter see who it is," Johnny replied.

"Is there anyone who could?" Robson asked.

"Yer could ask me bouncer, he never forgets a face. Michael were in here last night though, I only remember 'cos he started kickin' up a fight with some suit, I don't know his name, but we ended up chuckin' 'em both out."

"What time?" Alex asked.

"'Round midnight, I guess."

"Right, well, your bouncer, what's his name?"

"Tommy, err, Thomas Trent."

"And his address?" Robson asked as he jotted the name down in his notebook.

"Townwell Road, number 20, I think," he answered.

"Thank you," Alex smiled and together, they left.

"Well wasn't that eventful?" Gene said after they left the club. "Still, if that mess is anythin'' ter go by, they must throw some messed up parties in there."

"As opposed to the rather more tame celebrations of C.I.D?" Alex grinned and Gene chuckled. Robson only looked at them both in confusion and sighed.

"Well, Bolls, what'd you say? Shall we go meet this bouncer?" Gene asked her.

"After you, guv."

* * *

Tommy, or Thomas Trent it seemed, was the epitome of a nightclub bouncer, he was hugely built, extensively tattooed, and was an inch taller than even Gene was. Alex found it rather amusing to see him try to tower over a man with double his weight alone in muscle and an extra inch on his height.

After getting a description and a name of the man whom Michael Brown had fought with , they left and returned to C.I.D to find that the room was completely silent.

"Raymondo, what's..." Gene began but a man walking out of his very own office made him stop. He was pale and slightly build with almost delicate aryan features, and Gene stared at him for a second as though dumb-struck.

"D.C.I Hunt, I don't know if you'll remember me, I'm Commander Mikal Alati, might we have a word," he said calmly with a kind smile. Gene simply sighed nd walked into his office.

"Not this time, Bolls," he said to Alex who'd followed him, and he gently closed the door behind him, shutting her, and the others out.

C.I.D suddenly fell silent as everyone tired to listen to the conversation in Gene's office, but nothing could be heard. Not a light cough or a even faint whisper of a word.

The seconds passed slowly when suddenly, the lights overhead flickered, and them, finally the door swung open, and the Commander stalked out.

"...Just make sure you get the results, Hunt, you've broken too many rules as it is," he said, nearing the double doors.

"Not a problem...sir," Gene added quietly.

"And remember," he said, "One more...slip up...and it won't be me you have to answer to. He may be fond of you, but I don't have time to deal with people who can't do the job they volunteered themselves for. And when we mess up, they pay the price, it's not fair, but it is what it is, Gene, it's all part of the work."

"Right, duly noted, close the door on your way out, and, err, tell the boss I said 'hi'," Gene said finally and the Commander strode with confidence from the room. The guv then went back into his office and sat at his desk. Immediately, Alex walked quickly into Gene's office motioning for Ray, Chris and Shaz to follow.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Weren't you listening, Bolls? He's the Commander in twat," Gene answered without looking up from the file that was open on his desk.

"But what was he talking about?"

"Me gettin' an almighty bollocking if this all goes tits up!"

"'This'?" Shaz repeated.

"Rule breaking, Detective Constable Granger, rule breaking," he replied, "It's not makin' me very popular with the pencil necks runnin' things."

"And just who is 'running things'?"

"People like Alati...You're smart, Bolls, you know what his last names means?"

"What?" Alex asked.

"He told me once...it's Latin, it means 'winged'," Gene answered. "Get it?"

"...I think I...yeah, yeah...I get it..."

"Wha'? Get wha'?" Chris asked.

"'Winged Michael', Chris. Either he had parents with one hell of a sense of humour or...he..." Alex replied, "No...that's not possible...is it?" she asked Gene who only sighed.

"'S best if you don't think about it too much," Gene said to her after a long silence.

"Not thinking about it too much means you'll forget, doesn't it?"

"...Maybe..." Gene replied as he poured himself a glass of whiskey.

"...And you can't afford to forget again...will we forget?"

"...I don't know...probably," he answered. "Just little things, then before you know it, it's all gone."

"But 'ow'd we forget that we're...y'know..." Ray asked nervously.

"That's why, Raymondo," Gene said to his friend, pointing with his index finger, "'Cos you don't want ter think about it...they make you forget so yer can leave."

"You stayed," Alex said.

"I'm not the only one who's tryin' to help people 'ere, y'know," he said tossing the glass back, and lighting a cigarette.

"Who else, then?"

"Well, there are other people, besides coppers who have problems, mrs woman."

"Who else?" she repeated.

"Doctors, nurses, firemen, lawyers...reporters," he added.

"Reporters, y'mean...like...like Jackie?" Ray asked.

"Yeah," Gene nodded, "She's been here a while...now she's got a kid...she's not goin' anywhere yet. Someone must've got it in the balls fer that one," he chuckled.

"...So how do we remember?" Alex asked, trying to get things back on track.

"...Well, as fer me...I look at this," Gene said slowly, taking out his old 1953 Warrant card, and tossing it on the desk.

"That doesn't do us much good, Gene," she replied.

"Why not? If yer know I'm rottin' in the dirt it makes it 'ard ter forget about this place, doesn't it?" he asked honestly.

"For once I really think you should exercise the better part of valour, and show a little sensitivity to other people..." she answered, looking at the melancholy looks from Ray, Chris and Shaz.

"I am," Gene insisted, "You lot didn't pop it 'cos o' some daft bloody mistake!" he told her, as though that explained everything.

In the midst of the conversation, Gene had failed to notice that Shaz had taken up the dusty old warrant card and looked down at the young face of P.C Gene Hunt with a sympathetic gaze.

"That doesn't make it any easier though, guv," the young woman said to him.

"I keep tellin' yer," Gene sighed, "That's why yer can't stay; it's not 'real' to you anymore. But is anyone listenin' ter me?" he asked rhetorically.

"I'm sorry, guv, did you say something?" Alex asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Hardy bloody ha, mrs fruitcake," he rolled his eyes in reply.

"So, what'd we do?" Chris asked.

"The job," Gene said.

"What about your new D.I...Robson...is he like...like me and Sam?"

"Yeah...bloody coma people..." he muttered.

"Will he...will he be alright?" Shaz asked, still confused about the whole concept.

"Well, I'll just consult my crystal ball, shall I?" Gene said sarcastically, "'Ow do I bloody know?! S'not my job ter know tha'...but if he mentions that bloody 'a'...no wait...'i'...IPhone whatsit one more time he won't be saying this world's not real anytime soon when I'm done with him!"

"IPhone," Alex giggled.

"Sonmethin' funny?" Gene demanded.

"No, no, it's nothing," Alex smiled.

"Good...I..." he began to say but the crashing sound of the door bursting open stopped him.

"Guv!" Robson suddenly burst into the room without knocking, making them jump slightly.

"What?" Gene demanded. "And I swear, if you don't bloody learn how ter knock properly I'll..."

"Yeah, right...whatever..."

"Oi! Don't you 'whatever' me, you ungrateful sack of shit!"

"This isn't real anyway, why should I exercise good manner when you, of all people, don't seem to have any at all?"

"Have you been at the booze?" Gene scoffed. Robson was at arse at the best of times, but it seemed like something was really bothering him at the moment.

"Surprisingly no, 'guv'," Robson replied.

"Don't waggle yer bloody fingers when yer say my name!" Gene bellowed.

"Right...I apologise, your royal highness..." the man mocked, "Anyway, I thought you'd like to know that Sean Daniels; one of the blaggers, wants to talk to you."

"Oh bloody joy," Gene sighed, "Right, D.I. twat-son, you're with me, the rest of you...make yer selves useful!"

* * *

A.N. I should point out that I'm a total atheist and so I have no belief in god whatsoever, but I like the idea of the Ashes to Ashes world having someone to watch over it, hence the Saint Michael pun. (FYI, he's the patron saint of coppers!)

Please let me know what you thought!


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